The Farm & Natural Lands Trust of York County and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council will hold a workshop and dinner on October 25 on balancing growth and maintaining the local $112 million agriculture economy.

The program will feature two major speakers. Ed McMahon, a writer, planner, attorney and a senior fellow of the Urban Land Institute, will be speaking on how preserving farmland can add to a community’s economy and well-being. Michael Frank, Director of Community Planning for the Heritage Conservancy, will speak about how local tax money spent to preserve farmland and natural areas costs less than community services resulting from most forms of residential development.

“York is a spectacular county that is experiencing enormous growth pressures that could undermine its traditional quality of life,” said Brian Hill, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. “The purpose of this workshop is to help better prepare citizen leaders for the challenges that they face. Protecting farmland is critical to protecting the county’s quality of life. We have lined up some excellent speakers to kick off a series of meetings that will take place over the next year as we collaborate with the Farm and Natural Lands Trust of York and others on farmland protection.”

Elected officials, Planning Commission members, Zoning Hearing Board members, Environmental Advisory Council members, and interested citizens will find this workshop especially helpful in understanding farmland preservation issues.

The workshop will be held at the West York Reliance Fire Company Social Hall with dinner served at 5:30 pm.

The York County Community Foundation Robert R. Anderson Family Fund is underwriting this program.

The cost of the workshop is $10 per person. Please RSVP by October 18. To register, call the Farm & Natural Lands Trust office at 717-843-4411.

Link: Sign Up for the PA Environmental Council’s Monthly E-Newsletter Today!

10/13/2006